Director of Operations

Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Industry: Commercial / Industrial Mechanical Construction
Focus: Mechanical Piping & Plumbing
Employment Type: Full-Time | Leadership

Position Overview

Elite Executive Solutions is partnering with an established mechanical contractor to identify an experienced Director of Operations – Mechanical Piping & Plumbing for its Phoenix, Arizona operations.

This senior leadership position oversees the operational performance of mechanical piping and plumbing projects, develops project leadership teams, drives financial performance, and ensures projects are executed safely, efficiently, and profitably.

We are looking for a builder of teams and operations , not simply someone who can manage individual projects. The ideal candidate understands mechanical construction from preconstruction and estimating handoff through procurement, field execution, commissioning, closeout, and final financial performance.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Provide leadership and oversight across multiple mechanical piping and plumbing projects.
• Lead and develop Project Executives, Project Managers, Assistant Project Managers, Superintendents, and supporting operational personnel.
• Establish consistent operational processes, accountability, and performance expectations across the business.
• Partner closely with executive leadership, estimating, preconstruction, field operations, safety, and accounting.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement scalable processes to improve execution and profitability.

Project & Financial Performance

• Maintain executive-level oversight of project portfolios from turnover through closeout.
• Drive project profitability through disciplined cost control, forecasting, labor management, procurement, scheduling, and change management.
• Review project financials, cost-to-complete forecasts, WIP, margins, cash flow, and operational risks.
• Hold project teams accountable for budgets, schedules, productivity, documentation, and customer commitments.
• Identify margin erosion and project risks early and implement corrective action.
• Support contract negotiations, major change orders, claims, and resolution of complex project issues.

Field & Construction Operations

• Work closely with field leadership to ensure proper manpower planning, productivity, material flow, prefabrication, scheduling, and execution.
• Ensure strong coordination between project management and field teams.
• Support constructability reviews, BIM/VDC coordination, prefabrication strategies, procurement, and installation planning.
• Maintain executive oversight of project quality, commissioning, turnover, and closeout.
• Promote consistent execution standards across all projects.

People Leadership

• Recruit, mentor, develop, and retain high-performing operations professionals.
• Build succession plans and identify future Project Managers, Project Executives, and operational leaders.
• Establish clear expectations and accountability while creating an environment where teams can succeed.
• Conduct regular project and personnel reviews and address performance gaps proactively.
• Help build an operations organization capable of supporting continued growth.

Client & Business Leadership

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with owners, general contractors, developers, engineers, vendors, and strategic partners.
• Serve as an executive-level point of contact for key customers and complex project matters.
• Support business development efforts through existing relationships, reputation, and operational credibility.
• Participate in pursuit strategy, project selection, estimating reviews, and go/no-go decisions.
• Help leadership evaluate new markets, customers, project types, and growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience within commercial or industrial mechanical construction .
• Strong background in mechanical piping and/or commercial plumbing operations .
• Proven experience overseeing multiple projects and project teams simultaneously.
• Demonstrated responsibility for significant project portfolios and financial performance.
• Strong understanding of P&L, WIP, forecasting, cost controls, labor productivity, scheduling, procurement, and change management .
• Experience leading Project Managers, Project Executives, Superintendents, and field operations.
• Strong knowledge of mechanical construction processes from preconstruction through commissioning and closeout.
• Experience with large, complex projects strongly preferred.
• Ability to communicate effectively with executive leadership, customers, field personnel, and project teams.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to build accountability without losing the trust of the organization.

Preferred Experience

Experience in one or more of the following markets is highly desirable:

• Data Centers / Mission Critical
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Semiconductor
• Healthcare
• Higher Education
• Large Commercial
• Industrial Facilities
• Central Utility / Process Piping
• Large-scale Plumbing Systems

Experience working in the Phoenix and broader Arizona construction market is a significant plus.

What Success Looks Like

The successful Director of Operations will be able to step beyond individual project management and take ownership of the performance of an entire operational portfolio.

Success will be measured through:

• Project profitability and margin protection
• Accurate forecasting and WIP management
• Schedule and operational performance
• Labor productivity
• Safety and quality
• Customer satisfaction and repeat business
• Development and retention of project leadership
• Consistency of operational processes
• Successful execution of increasingly complex projects
• Sustainable growth of the Phoenix operation

Ideal Candidate Profile

We are particularly interested in candidates who have progressed through mechanical construction operations—such as Project Manager, Senior Project Manager, Project Executive, Operations Manager/Director —and understand both the field and financial sides of the business.

The right individual will have the credibility to sit with executive leadership to discuss strategy and financial performance, then walk a project with a Superintendent and understand exactly what affects manpower, productivity, schedule, and execution.

This is an opportunity for an experienced mechanical construction leader who wants to have a meaningful impact on the growth, culture, and operational performance of an organization in the Phoenix, Arizona market .

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